Capsized West Gamma Platform

Capsized West Gamma living accommodation platform 50 miles west of Sylt, Germany. Oil from the platform is leaking into the North Sea.

Unique identifier: GP0BJF

Type: Image

Shoot date: 10/09/1990

Locations: Germany, North Sea, Sylt

Credit line: © Greenpeace / Robin Culley

Ranking: ★★★★ (E)

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Capsized West Gamma Oil Platform in North Sea

On 20 August 1990, the West Gamma accommodation jack-up ran into a gale (with waves up 12 meters and winds gusting 60 knots) as it was being towed by the Normand Drott from the Norwegian sector to the German sector. The rig first lost its helideck to a large wave, then lost its tow with the Normand Drott during the storm, causing the rig to drift towards the German coast.

As night fell, one of the deck lifeboats broke loose, damaging vent pipes and access hatches and causing down-flooding in the rig's hull.

At 0307 hours on 21 August 1990, the rig sank off the coast of Helgoland, Germany, in 44m of water, with the highest point of the rig only 10m below sea level at low tide.

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